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Dane is at Home.
@monkeyminion.com

I’ll write up the events that transpired from my perspective once I’m home from Atlanta. The Bleeding Cool article leaves a bit out and sensationalizes a bit. I’m surprised they didn’t bother getting a comment from any dragon con staff.

Lar deSouza
@lartist.bsky.social

So glad to see this and to see the little sign to let folks know! :D A shame for the shysters taking up a table from a legitmate artist/vendor but it's a good lesson for vendors and conventions moving forward.

Martin Leong
@martinleong25.bsky.social

ai content has no copyright and this cant have the ability to be sold nobody owns it, therefore anyone can have it and these ai mfs are in it for the money, if they realize they cant sell it they wont do it

soxisix
@killyourradio.bsky.social

you can freely sell things that are not copyrighted/out of copyright. eg. i license some things i make cc0 on purpose specifically because i'm fine with other people selling them with or without attribution

Nullnuit
@ladelasratas.bsky.social

I'd love that Spanish cons had the nerve to do this and also to kick the fuck out business stands that sell bootleg stuff and stolen art, not just from major corps but also self employed artists The typical "I printed this because i found it on the internet and if it's online then it's free"

Dane is at Home.
@monkeyminion.com

That’s not atypical at some American cons, tbf. There used to be at least one or two booths that would just be selling random prints of characters and when you’d ask them about where they got the art it was always “oh, we work with a studio.” Yeah, right.

Dane is at Home.
@monkeyminion.com

One guy tried that at Denver Comicon years ago, but one of the artists in AA was a friend and actual studio mate of one of the artists for some of the posters the thief was selling. Got his ass booted.

Nullnuit
@ladelasratas.bsky.social

Por eso dije business stands, not artist alley nor artist stands. Although last year I can't remember if it was in comic barcelona or manga, there was a stand with "pros" and one of them had AI stuff

John Hudgens
@johnhudgens.bsky.social

I've always found DragonCon to be great about proactively removing bad apples from the con, once informed. Years ago, I found a dealer selling a bootleg DVD of the Star Wars fanfilms I did for Lucasfilm's SWFFA. Found the dealer's room staff, and a cop, and went back and started pulling cases.

John Hudgens
@johnhudgens.bsky.social

Dealer tried to protest, said "the filmmaker gave me permission!!!" I said "look at my badge, and tell me when I did that" as I started snapping DVDs in half. Guy went white as a sheet, then tried to get the cop to arrest me for destroying his property. The cops were NOT on his side.

John Hudgens
@johnhudgens.bsky.social

The fool had gone so far as to copy/paste the DVD cover I'd made for friends, but didn't block out the fine print "This DVD is NOT authorized for Sale or Rental. If you have found this DVD for sale *anywhere*, the seller is a greedy SOB and is offering this DVD illegally" - among other things. :)

Remy
@r3mii.bsky.social

Good. I part of me wants to folk to name and shame so they can't do it again, but that's not productive. Hopefully the con community flags them.

Remy
@r3mii.bsky.social

Upon reading the thread: I changed my mind. Using your partner who is an actual human artist as an accomplice is disgusting behavior. Oriana Gerez should be ashamed in her complicity. Cons need to add financial penalties to this behavior, either forcing buy backs or fines on top of blacklisting.

Strings Meowscarada
@drvulpine.bsky.social

Remember, we need to stop using the term 'art', as the Al(gorithm) was not given any opportunities to understand the concepts of art, effort, inspiration, and what even gives meaning to art. Or concepts. It's just being made to regurgitate something based off stolen(plagiarized) source materials.

DrKaz
@drkaz.bsky.social

On the same note, can we do away with the vendors who just 3D print the same downloaded scaled dragon eggs and flexible dragons and charge $50 for $2 in filament. That shit is getting old.

DT
@d1puck1t.bsky.social

Nice to see him thrown out the door, but that's a booth that real human artists badly wanted to sit at. Screw this guy even harder, he cost people work they needed.

Jonathan
@litz.org

I can't speak for any other part of the convention, but at DragonConTV our policy is clearly stated : No AI generated content or music. Our show is for the fans, by the fans.

Twilit Sunset
@twilitsunset.bsky.social

Good riddance, here's hoping cons and other marketplaces can ban the mass-produced 3D-printed trash like the dragons and the Alibaba/Temu resellers next. I hate it so much how those and AI art have been slowly choking out spaces for actual vendors at such places

Doubtingsalmon
@doubtingsalmon.bsky.social

Dammit. I always end up missing the alley excitement (hung up the volunteer badge early this year due to getting sick)! I’m super glad they were caught and ousted, but boy do I wish that had happened Friday. I guess next year I’m gonna have to get REAL nosy with arts after set up.

Dane is at Home.
@monkeyminion.com

Sorry you got sick! I don’t blame them for taking the time to be super sure about levelling the accusation and giving them the boot. I told Jamey about them on Saturday afternoon, they did their diligence on Sunday, and they were out Monday morning.